Tools for three-dimensional visualization of three-dimensional (3D) datasets are known. In the medical field, such tools are used to support vessel analysis. These tools may offer functionality for advanced viewing, segmentation, inspection and quantification of vessels. The vessel analysis provided by such tools may support inspection of vessels by means of vessel segmentation. Some vessel analysis tools automatically track parts of a vessel structure.
WO 2008/149274 discloses a method of inspecting tubularly shaped structures (1′) within a three-dimensional (3D) image data set, e.g. a vessel in a medical image. Initially, there is provided an image data set and there is performed a visualization of the image data set. Then, an inspection of the image data set is performed. During the inspection the user moves a pointer (P), e.g. via a computer mouse, and a processor performs a local segmentation around the pointer so as to determine a possible shape of a tubularly shaped segmented object (1′), e.g. a vessel, and the processor also makes a local analysis of the segmented object. Thereafter, a screen displays a view (P1) of the segmented object (1′), where the orientation of the first view is derived from the local analysis; the first view can for example be a cross-sectional or longitudinal view.
The placement of an object over a particular vessel, for example a ring which is placed around the vessel, may be used in such a method for displaying one or more views aligned with the vessel, for example a cross sectional view of the vessel or a longitudinal sectional view of the vessel, with the vessel and object centered in the view. If the object is moved with respect to the volume, the sectional views are automatically updated to re-center around the new position of the object. However, the manipulation of such a view with an object may be difficult.